Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 12/3/2024 was filed and the submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Drawings
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, the “a communication unit for transmitting the detecting of the status to the drive unit” (Claim 8) and “the quick coupling has a sensor unit for detecting the status and a display unit connected to the sensor unit” (Claims 7, 19, and 20) must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). No new matter should be entered.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of 35 U.S.C. 112(a):
(a) IN GENERAL.—The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor or joint inventor of carrying out the invention.
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112:
The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor of carrying out his invention.
Claims 1, 8, 19, and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), first paragraph, as failing to comply with the enablement requirement. The claim(s) contains subject matter which was not described in the specification in such a way as to enable one skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and/or use the invention. Applicant states that the threaded spindle 6 of the screw drive 4 is designed as a hollow shaft, within which a rotating shaft 23 extends coaxially and the connection section 10 of the housing body 5 of the pulling and compression device 1 has a quick coupling 12, which is shown in its unlocked position in FIG. 2 and in its locked position in FIG. 3 in paragraphs [0034] and [0035] of specification:
[0034] In the embodiment example shown in FIG. 1, the threaded spindle 6 of the screw drive 4 is designed as a hollow shaft, within which a rotating shaft 23 extends coaxially. The rotating shaft 23 is connected non-rotatably to the drive unit 2, so that rotational movements generated by the drive unit 2 can be transmitted to corresponding tool devices 11 that can be connected to the connection section 10, independently of the adjustment travel of the threaded nut 7 on the threaded spindle 6. If the rotating shaft 23 is used to drive a tool device 11, the threaded spindle 6 is decoupled from the drive unit 2 on the pulling and compression device 1, so that only the rotating shaft 23 is set in rotation by the drive unit 2.
[0035] For the detachable connection of different tool devices 11 which are designed for connection to the coupling unit 8, the tool holder 9 and/or the rotating shaft 23, the connection section 10 of the housing body 5 of the pulling and compression device 1 has a quick coupling 12, which is shown in its unlocked position in FIG. 2 and in its locked position in FIG. 3.
It is pointed out that “the unlocked position in FIG. 2 and in its locked position in FIG. 3 of the connection section 10 of the housing body 5” is not clearly understood as to how it is unlocked position in FIG. 2 and in its locked position. It appears that the specification in such a way as to enable one skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and/or use the invention.
Moreover, the recitation of “a communication unit (not shown) for transmitting the detecting of the status to the drive unit” as recited in claim 8 is unclear how and where “a communication unit” is provided or structured to detect the status.
Further, it is not clearly understood where or how “the quick coupling has a sensor unit (not shown)” is located or structured.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor, or for pre-AIA the applicant regards as the invention.
Claim 1 recites “a coupling unit (8) connected to a tool holder (9) for transmitting tensile and compressive forces resulting from the direction of rotation of the threaded spindle (6) from the threaded nut (7) to the tool holder.” It appears that the structural relationships between “a coupling unit (8),” “a tool holder (9),” “a threaded spindle (6),” and “a threaded nut (7)” are confusing and not clearly understood as to how “the transmitting tensile and compressive forces” are obtained.
There are many “no antecedent basis” in the provided claims 3-9 and 13-20. Note that applicant amends claim 3 by deleting the dependency on claim 2 that appears to create no antecedent basis.” The applicant is strongly encouraged to make sure that the recited claims clearly disclose the subject matter of the application.
There are no antecedent basis for “the quick coupling” in claims 3, 7, and 9. Note that claim 2 recites “a quick coupling,” but the amended claims depend on claim 1, instead of claim 2.
There are no antecedent basis for “the locking ring” in claims 5, 6, and 13-18. Note that claim 4 recites “a locking ring,” but the amended claims depend on claim 1, instead of claim 4.
The recitation of “a communication unit (not shown) for transmitting the detecting of the status to the drive unit” as recited in claim 8 is unclear as to how “a broadly recited communication unit (not shown)” transmits to detect “the status to the drive unit.”
Claims 19 and 20 recite “the quick coupling has a sensor unit (not shown),” but it is confusing and not clearly understood as to how and where a sensor unit is provided for detection of the status of the device.
Claims 2 and 10-12 are rejected as being dependent on, and failing to cure the deficiencies of, rejected independent claim 1.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-3, 5-10, 13, 14, 16, 17, and 19, as best understood, are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Thorson et al. (US 2016/0318165).
RE claim 1, Thorson et al. (US 2016/0318165) discloses a Hand-held pulling and compression device for driving interchangeable tools, with a drive unit comprising a battery-operated electric motor (18), a screw drive with a threaded spindle (1026) (see Fig. 15) [para 0078] connected to the drive unit and mounted rotatably on a housing body (1034, 1054), and a threaded nut (1186) (see Fig. 15) [para 0078] mounted rotatably on the threaded spindle and non-rotatably on the housing body via a bearing unit (See Fig. 15), and a coupling unit (1162, 1158) connected to a tool holder for transmitting tensile and compressive forces resulting from the direction of rotation of the threaded spindle from the threaded nut to the tool holder, wherein the housing body has a connection section (see Fig. 15) for detachable fixing of a tool device to the pulling and compression device.
RE claims 2, 3, 9, and 10, Figs. 14 and 15 of Thorson et al. tool (US 2016/0318165) show a biased spring (1194), ball bearings with a rotation member (1162, and ball bearings, which are a quick coupling which can be adjusted between a locked position and an unlocked position.
RE claims 5, 6, 13-17, Fig. 2 of Thorson et al. tool (US 2016/0318165) discloses a locking unit fixing a locking ring or gear (38) locking a transducer (98) (see Fig. 2 and paragraph [0051]).
RE claims 7 and 19, Fig. 2 of Thorson et al. tool (US 2016/0318165) shows a sensor, having a transducer (54) or a strain gauge (126) for detection (see para [00045]).
RE claim 8, Thorson et al. tool (US 2016/0318165) teaches a communication unit by providing a coil (3194) for wireless communication (see para [0111]). Exhibit A
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Exhibit B
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Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 4, 11, 12, 15, 18, and 20 would be allowable if rewritten to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 1st paragraph and 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action and to include all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to PAUL T CHIN whose telephone number is (571) 272-6922. The examiner can normally be reached on M-F 8:00-4:30 PM.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Robert Hodge, can be reached on (571) 272-2097. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of an application may be obtained from the Patent Application Information Retrieval (PAIR) system. Status information for published applications may be obtained from either Private PAIR or Public PAIR. Status information for unpublished applications is available through Private PAIR only. For more information about the PAIR system, see http://pair-direct.uspto.gov. Should you have questions on access to the Private PAIR system, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative or access to the automated information system, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/PAUL T CHIN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3654
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